The NBA has stepped in to cancel the Atlanta Hawks’ controversial “Magic City Night” celebration.
The Hawks announced the plan last month, per The Guardian. The team wanted to pay tribute to an “iconic cultural institution” with food – including the club’s famous lemon pepper wings – along with a live music performance by Atlanta native TI and exclusive merchandise.
Attendees were set to enjoy a limited-edition Peachtree-themed hoodie. Across the front in bold text were the words ‘MAGIC CITY’ in peach and on the sleeves were the Hawks official logo and the Peach logo.
Magic City Kitchen was also set to serve two versions of their ‘world famous’ lemon pepper wings: Louwill Lemon Pepper BBQ and traditional Lemon Pepper.
Pushback
One NBA player, San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, advised against the commemoration of the prominent strip club. “Allowing this night to go forward without protest would reflect poorly on us an an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potentional obejectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
He added, “We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.
Warriors center Al Horford, who played for Atlanta from 2007 to 2016, supported Kornet’s message on X, posting simply, “Well said Luke.”
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
“While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
Rappers Drake, Quavo and 2 Chainz have praised Magic City’s impact on music and celebrity culture. Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal have also visited, while MLS’s Atlanta United celebrated their 2018 title at the club.